The National Highway Traffic Safety Association gave The First Years Via Infant Car Seat five stars for ease of use. Since many parents find installing and adjusting car seats a hassle–and since nearly 80 % of all car seats are installed improperly — this helps make the Via infant car seat one of the safest on the market.

The Via infant car seat includes:

• an ergonomic carry handle
• triple-layer padding for superior comfort
• Full EPS foam liner and deep side wings for enhanced safety
• Built-in lockoff for secure and easy installation

The Via infant car seat is designed to fit in the Via stroller travel system from The First Years. The car seat base is included. The Aurora model (shown here) is a stylish black and gray to complement the interior of many cars.

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The answer to the question, “Does your baby need a car seat on an airplane?” differs depending who you ask. Major airlines permit parents to hold a baby under 2 on their lap for the duration of a flight. You may be charged a small administrative fee, but you don’t have to purchase a seat.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, says, “A child is best protected on an airplane when properly restrained in a car safety seat appropriate for the age, weight and height of the child, meeting standards for aircraft until the child weighs more than 40 lbs. and can use the aircraft seat belt.”

The AAP is also lobbying to have the law changed so that children under 40 lbs. are required to fly in a car seat.

There are other reasons for using a car seat when you fly with your baby, even if it costs more money to purchase an additional seat on the plane:

• Having his or her own, familiar car seat can make a child feel more comfortable during the flight.
• Airline seats are close quarters. Squeezing a squirming toddler onto your lap if you have other passengers around you is awkward for everyone. You’ll be more comfortable, your child will be more comfortable, and the other passengers around you will be more comfortable, if you purchase a seat for your child.
• Car seats can be damaged (often unnoticeably, which make compromise their safety in the event of an accident) in airline luggage compartments. Using the car seat on the plane ensures you’ll have a safe car seat to use in a rental car once you reach your destination.

If you’re looking for a car seat that will take your child from the toddler years all the way up to elementary school, the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 is one of the best investments you can make.

The Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 combination car seat accommodates toddlers in a forward-facing position from 1 year and 20 lbs. up to 65 lbs. The car seat converts into a high-back, belt-positioning booster seat for children from 30 to 100 lbs. But if you’d prefer the convenience and look of a backless booster, which many older children prefer, this car seat also works as a backless booster for children from 40 to 100 lbs.

The steel-reinforced frame offers exceptional durability. The car seat has been side-impact tested and found to meet or exceed all U.S. safety standards when the 5-point built-in harness system is used. The EPS, energy-absorbing foam adds comfort and safety.

Additional features include:

• 3-position recline
• one-hand adjustable headrest
• cupholder and storage pockets
• variety of colors to match any taste

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The Complete Air convertible car seat from Safety 1st offers side impact protection by means of the company’s revolutionary AirProtect technology. The system shields baby’s head and immediately reduces side impact forces through a precise release of air.

According to research, side impact collisions are the most dangerous for children, accounting for one in three child crash fatalities. Side impact air bags for adults have been shown to reduce driver deaths by approximately 37 %, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Safety 1st’s AirProtect technology works similar to an airbag in your child’s car seat—without the dangerous effects an adult airbag can have on a child.

The Complete Air carseat offers many other convenient features parents will love, including:

• QuickFit Harness System, which lets parents adjust the harness height from the front, without removing the car seat from the car.
• 5-position adjustable headrest for comfort
• Removable cup holder

The Safety 1st Complete Air convertible car seat accommodates infants rear-facing from 5 to 40 lbs. and toddlers in a forward-facing position from 22 – 50 lbs.

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just made shopping for a booster seat for your toddler or child easier. When shopping for an important product like a car seat or booster seat, sometimes it’s hard to be sure: Are you buying the safest product for your child?

In a recent report, the IIHS rated 9 belt-positioning booster seats as “Best Bets,” with 6 achieving a “Good Bet” ranking out of 60 models evaluated. Eleven boosters are “not recommended” because they didn’t fit the belt properly to a child’s body.

“A good booster routes the lap belt flat across a child’s upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at mid-shoulder,” according to a press release from the institute.

The IIHS ranked the following as “Best Bet” booster seats:

Combi Dakota backless with clip (shown in photo)

Recaro Young Sport highback

Recaro Vivo highback

Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR dual-use highback

Evenflo Big Kid Amp backless with clip

Eddie Bauer Auto Booster dual-use highback

Cosco Juvenile Pronto dual-use highback

Britax Frontier highback

Clek Oobr dual-use highback

You can see the full ratings list here, as well as the list of six “Good Bets” for booster seats.

For more information about how to buy a booster seat, check out our handy Buyer’s Guide to Buying a Booster Seat. And stay tuned to the AllReviews blog for more details on each of these top-rated booster seats.

With a new baby on the way, a car seat is a necessity. Several programs exist to help low-income families obtain brand-new, free or low-cost car seats. There is no reason to rely on a used car seat, which could put your new baby’s life and health in danger.

If you need a car seat for your new baby, here are five ways to find one.

Ask your hospital or birthing center – Your hospital or birthing center may provide free or discounted car seats, or can point you in the direction of where to find one.

Your local police station or fire department – Many local fire departments and police stations, which are also official car seat inspection check points, provide free car seats to expectant parents. Parents must attend a class that teaches proper car seat safety and installation methods. They will then receive a voucher to purchase a new car seat.

Your health insurance or car insurance company – Some insurance companies offer discounts on car seats in the form of vouchers that can be used at a baby products retailer such as Babies R Us. This money-saving option may be available even if you do not qualify for low-income programs.

The United Way – Dial 211 on your telephone to reach the United Way and tell them of your need, or contact your local United Way office through www.liveunited.org.

WIC – If you are already receiving WIC federal assistance, you may qualify for a free car seat through the program. You can find out more at the government website, http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic.

Types
Infant Car Bed | Infant Car Seat | Convertible Car Seat | Toddler Car Seat | Booster Seat

Hospitals will not allow you to take your baby home for the first time unless you show you have a car seat, properly installed in the car and designed for your baby’s height and weight. It is the most important purchase you will make for your new baby.

Beginning with an infant car seat / carrier and ending with a booster seat, you might buy as many as three different child restraint systems for your child until he is old enough to ride in a car using only regular passenger safety belts. Hundreds of models of car seats exist at different price points.

This article guides you through the various types of car seats designed for children of different ages.


Infant Car Bed
Car beds keep newborns lying flat on their backs during travel, the best position for air flow and for the developing organs of a premature infant. Car beds are designed to fit premature and very small infants.

Like a regular infant car seat, car beds are crash-tested, and include padding and a five-point harness.

If your baby was born premature, doctors will test the baby before leaving the hospital to see if he can safely ride in a standard infant car seat designed for newborns weighing 5 lbs. and up. If not, your doctor may provide a car bed at no charge to transport your premature infant home. You probably won’t use the car bed very often, and this can save you some money.

Car beds typically range in price from about $50 to about $150. Some popular brands include Cosco’s Dream Ride SE and Angel Guard’s Angel Ride infant car bed.


Infant Car Seat
Infant car seats accommodate babies, rear-facing, from 5 lbs. to about 20 lbs. (Check the manual for your particular model for specific height and weight restrictions).

The vast majority of babies will come home from the hospital in an infant car seat. Many infant car seats double as hard shell infant carriers, and also clip into a stroller as a complete “travel system.” These travel systems come with a separate base that remains installed in your car, while you remove the car seat/carrier as needed. You can purchase additional bases separately.

Infant car seat travel systems vary widely in price. You can purchase a base, car seat and stroller all together, or you can purchase the components separately.

Some popular manufacturers of infant car seats include Britax, Graco, and Chicco.

Infant Car Seat Buyers Guide


Convertible Car Seat
A convertible car seat can accommodate an infant in a rear-facing position from 5 lbs. to about 20 lbs. In a forward-facing position, the car seat holds a toddler or preschooler weighing as much as 65 lbs. (for some models).

The Graco MyRide 65 is the first seat in the U.S. designed to hold an infant or toddler rear-facing up to 40 lbs.

Some convertible car seats grow with your child, transforming into a booster seat to accommodate a child up to 4’9”, until your child can use regular adult safety belts.

Convertible Car Seat Buyers Guide


Toddler Car Seat / Combination Car Seat
A toddler car seat, sometimes called a toddler booster seat, holds toddlers over 20 lbs. in a forward-facing position. This Stage 2 car seat can replace your infant car seat when the baby exceeds the weight or height restrictions for the infant seat.

Most toddler car seats – often called combination car seats — convert to a belt-positioning booster seat when you remove the five-point harness, typically after the child reaches 40 lbs. (Some models hold a toddler in the harness up to 65 lbs.)

Toddler Car Seat Buyers Guide


Booster Seats
Booster seats come in 3 forms: Belt-positioning booster seats with a high back, low-back booster seats that resemble a little “chair” in the car, and no-back booster seats that simply raise a child up so the safety belt fits better.

Many toddler car seats convert to belt-positioning booster seats.

Booster Seat Buying Guide

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If you’re buying your baby’s first car seat, you may have trouble deciding between an infant car seat / carrier travel system or a convertible car seat. An infant car seat/carrier travel system might be the best choice if you:

• Have multiple vehicles and want a convenient but affordable system.
• Want the convenience of transporting a sleeping baby from the car to another destination, such as the house or grocery store.
• Already have a stroller that is part of a travel system.
• Want the absolute safest transport system for your newborn baby, as determined by medical professionals

A convertible car seat is good as a “stage 1” car seat if:

• You don’t have space or need for an entire travel system
• You plan to keep the seat in the car
• You don’t mind transferring a sleeping baby from a car seat to a stroller for errands, or you use a baby sling (rather than a stroller)  in stores.
• You expect to have a big baby who may outgrow an infant seat before one year old
• Want to save money by buying one car seat your child can use through the toddler years

It’s a parent’s nightmare. A crash. The sickening crunch of crumple zones meeting. Your body, even restrained by your safety belt, lurches forward with the impact. Your car’s front airbags burst open in a puff.

But your mind is not on the burning pain across your face where the airbag left its mark, or the dull ache in your neck and shoulders that indicates whiplash. Your only thought is of your baby in the back seat.

You struggle to turn around, and find your child… startled and crying, but otherwise completely secure within the five-point harness of the rear-facing car seat. You don’t see any visible injuries and you know the car seat did its job. You don’t let yourself think about what may have happened without it.

Buying a Car Seat
A car seat is the single most important purchase you will make for your new baby. Experts recommend that you begin shopping for a car seat in the sixth to eighth month of pregnancy, so you’ll have plenty of time to research options and make a purchase before that important first trip home from the hospital.

Our comprehensive car seat buyer’s guide will advise you every step of the way. But car seat safety doesn’t end with purchasing the right seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission (NHTSC) says that 3 out of 4 car seats are installed improperly. Other statistics show that although 96 % of parents believe they installed a car seat correctly, 82 % find they made a mistake when they have a certified technician look it over.

Car seats work. They save lives and prevent serious injuries. But only when they are used properly – and consistently. Whatever car seat model you purchase, it’s important to remember these car seat safety tips.

1. Buy the Proper Car Seat for Your Baby’s Age, Height and Weight
Don’t be too eager to place your toddler in a front-facing car seat. Each “step up” to the next level of car seat represents a step down in protection. Infants are safest in infant seats, while toddlers should remain in a convertible or combination car seat until they meet the criteria to use a high-back booster seat.

Plenty of options for car seats exist for baby’s of every size and age. Always make sure you have the proper car seat for your child.

2. Make sure the car seat fits your car properly and is easy to use.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes, “The best car seat is the one that fits your child properly, is easy to use, and fits in your vehicle correctly.”

3. Install the Car Seat Properly – Ask for Help if Necessary
Consult the user’s manual for your specific make and model of car seat during installation. You can also find videos online that demonstrate proper installation – but don’t rely on videos alone. If you can’t find your user’s manual, contact the manufacturer for another copy.

After you’ve installed your car seat, check with experts to make sure you’ve installed it properly. The NHTSA offers a free service listing all child safety seat inspection stations in the U.S. Simply plug in your zip code and find out where you can go. Additionally, your local fire department or police station may have certified technicians onhand. Plan to make the trip before you bring your new baby home from the hospital in the car seat, and remember to have subsequent car seats inspected for proper installation, too.
Note that the center back seat is the safest place for a car seat.

4. Do Not Use a Car Seat that’s Been in a Crash
You should replace any car seat that’s been in a moderate to severe crash. If the accident was minor, the seat should be inspected for signs of damage, but may not need to be replaced. Follow the NHTSA’s guidelines, listed here, to determine if a crash is classified as “minor.”

5. Check for Recalls – It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen – car seats may be recalled for safety issues. You can stay up-to-date on product recalls in several ways:

• Submit the registration card that came with your car seat so the manufacturer can contact you in the event of a recall.
• Check the Consumer Products Safety Commission website (www.cpsc.gov) periodically for listings of recalled products.
• Check your car seat manufacturer’s website periodically.
• Pay attention to signage, usually posted at the customer service desk, where you purchased your car seat. Stores often post recall notices.

6. Beware of Used Car Seats
This article outlines why it is not recommended to use a hand-me-down car seat or one purchased from a garage sale or obtained through Freecycle.

Just as with car seats for infants and toddlers, a few different types of booster seats exist for children ages 4 – 9. This article highlights the different styles of booster seats and discusses which option may be best for your family.

Belt-positioning booster seat
A belt-positioning booster seat is a booster seat with a high back, which places your car’s seat belt in the best position for your child. A seat with an adjustable headrest provides the most comfort and safety for your child. Some belt-positioning booster seats convert to backless booster seats.

Combination Car Seat
Most toddler car seats that are not convertible (rear- to front-facing) car seats are classified as “combination” seats, turning into a belt-positioning booster seat when you remove the five-point harness. Combination car seats hold toddlers in the five-point harness up to 40 lbs. (Some models go up to 65 lbs.)

If your baby has outgrown the infant car seat and is legally ready to ride in a forward-facing position, a combination car seat is the next logical step, as you won’t have to buy a separate belt-positioning booster seat. Most belt-positioning booster seats hold children up to 65 lbs.

Backless Booster Seat
If your car offers head support in the back seat, you can purchase a backless booster. Older children may prefer a backless booster because it is less conspicuous. However, it is also not as safe as a belt-positioning, high-back booster seat.

If your child is very young and tends to sleep in the car, a high-back booster seat offers side support to prevent your child from slumping. Many belt positioning booster seats also permit children to sit at a slight recline, which may be more comfortable for sleeping or for longer trips.

A backless booster seat provides convenience for use in multiple cars. You may consider purchasing one for a grandparent or other caregiver’s car – providing that vehicle has integrated head support.

Is your child ready for a booster seat?
Children can ride in a booster seat if they are at least 40 lbs. and 3 to 4 years of age. Safety tests show a child aged 4 – 8 is 59 % less likely to be injured in a car accident if he is in a booster seat than if he is wearing a seat belt (with lap belt and shoulder harness) alone. Here are recommendations from  The Car Seat Lady to help you determine if your child is ready for a booster seat.

Cars are not designed for young children, and standard safety belts simply do not fit properly. That is why a belt positioning booster seat is the safest way for your child under 8 years old and 40 to 80 lbs. to travel.

Your child is not ready for a booster seat if:

• They cannot (or will not) remain seated without slouching, slumping forward or fidgeting too much
• They unhook the safety belts
• They are under 40 lbs.

What to Consider When Buying a Booster Seat
Whether you are buying a backless booster seat or a high-back booster seat, here are some questions to ask:

How well does the booster seat fit in your car? Booster seat bases vary as widely as the cars we put them in. Check to make sure the model you buy fits within your vehicle’s seat without sliding or tipping over.

How well does your child fit in the booster seat? It’s a good idea to try before you buy; let your child sit in the seat. Is the seat wide enough for his hips without too much extra space? (If there’s too much room in the seat, your child may not be ready to step up to a booster seat yet).

Does the booster seat help the seatbelt fit properly, in your car, for your child? This is a key consideration when buying a booster seat – does it do what it’s supposed to do?
The lap belt should be snug across your child’s hips, while the shoulder belt should not fall off your child’s arm or scratch the child’s neck.
How well-padded is the seat? You’ll want a seat with padding for added comfort. Side impact wings on a belt-positioning booster seat provide comfort and added crash protection.

Are the parts of the seat sturdy? Shoulder belt guides on a backless booster seat should be easy to adjust properly and should not break, even after years of use.

What kind of guides position the belt on a high-back booster? The guides that position the shoulder belt should permit the belt to move freely throughout the belt guide. Some guides combined with safety belts in certain model cars permit the child to lean forward, introducing slack, but do not allow the belt to retract again. Look for a model with guides that permit the shoulder belt to move freely.

What added features does the car seat include? Amenities may include cup holders, snack cups, attached pillows, toy bags, and even toys that attach to the seat.

What are the maximum height and weight limits?

What do reviews say about the booster seat?

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